Month: July 2015

With summer just around the corner, many people are dreaming of their summer time dream vacation. Yet many of these same people are stressed out over how to save up for their trips. Our friends from the Top Credit Cards for 2015 provided us with some great tips for saving money and getting the best credit card offers this summer. Saving money for your dream vacation should not be stressful. Everyone deserves a vacation, and even though they can be expensive, it doesn’t mean it is out of reach for you. You can fund a vacation without resorting to credit cards or expensive loans. If you take the time to plan a budget and plan out your trip well in advance you will be on your way to your dream vacation in no time, provided that you make a reasonable vacation budget and stick to it.

The first step towards budgeting for your vacation is to understand how much you will be spending. Where you will be staying and what time of year you plan to go is therefore vital to know. Every vacation spot on the planet has peak vacation season and off season times. Peak vacation time you can expect to pay more, while off season will be markedly cheaper. You can then research hotel accommodation costs for the time frame you plan to travel.

You next need to take into account your travel costs. regardless if you are driving or flying, each will have a ballpark figure, depending on what time of the year you plan to travel. Other travel costs to factor in will be rental cars or any public transportation at your final destination.

Lastly you need to take into account meals or dining expenses, and other costs. Entertainment, drinks, money for site seeing, excursions, and area attractions should be taken into account. Many people set up a daily budget for when they arrive at their final destination. You should do all your research to figure out approximate costs here. You will never arrive at an exact figure so assume you need as much as $500 to $1000 additional dollars above and beyond what you expect.

If you really want a stress free vacation that is very easy to budget for, you should look into an all inclusive resort. These resort packages include airfare and transportation, as well as lodging, meals, beverages and entertainment, as long as you stay on the resort. Under these vacation plans the only money you need is if you decide to go exploring off of the resort.

Some tips for reducing the cost of your vacation:
Limit your luggage if flying
If you are taking an airplane to your travel destination, consider only allowing what your airline allows for free to cut down on expenses. You could also apply ahead of time for an airline rewards credit card which offers 1 or 2 checked bags for free. Many of these cards also have a sign up bonus worth several hundred dollars, provided that you spend a certain amount within 3 to 4 months of opening the account.

Deals and bundles
When planing your trip always be on the look out for bundles or deals. Triple A or the AAA often has bundle deals for its members. Some hotels offer deals on local car rentals and shuttle rides. You can at times get a pass to multiple area attractions as well.